Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Birdhouse artist concludes First Fridays series

Mixed media artist Tommy Myers concludes
the First Fridays with a Little Lagniappe
series from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, Aug. 3 at the St. Landry Parish
Visitor Information Center, I-49 exit 23, just north of Opelousas. With the
theme “Constructing Art: Salvage – Reuse – Create,” the First Fridays series
emphasizes recycling and features artists who create new art out of materials
left over from construction of the Visitor Center.

Tommy Myers

Nine artists have created pieces for this series,
which will be part of an exhibit that travels throughout the parish. The
Visitor Center, which marked its first anniversary on May 23, highlights green
construction and sustainable practices, both old and new.

On Friday, Myers will demonstrate art
birdhouses made of wood, tile, metal and other leftover construction material
from the Visitor Center.

“I want to continue challenging my
imagination to see how many ways a collector’s birdhouse can be made from
ordinary and unusual recycled items,” said Myers. “The work is gratifying, the
creating is stimulating and the hunt for more accessories is fun.”

Myers is a member of the Louisiana Crafts
Guild and has exhibited at numerous festivals, including Festivals Acadiens et
Creoles and Festival International de Louisiane.

Admission is free to First Fridays. The series is
supported in part by a grant from the Louisiana Division of the Arts, Office of
Cultural Development, Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, in
cooperation with the Louisiana State Arts Council as administered by the
Acadiana Center for the Arts.

For more information, call the St. Landry Parish Tourist Commission at
(337) 948-8004. Follow the center on Twitter @StLandryParish or on
Facebook at St. Landry Parish – It’s Gumbo for Your Soul.